Author Jim Butcher in Columbia

The Dresden Files is an urban fantasy series that features Harry Dresden, private detective and Chicago’s only consulting wizard. The books are a delightful mix of hard-boiled crime drama and fantasy. These are the gritty Chicago streets … there just happen to be reanimated dinosaurs, too. If you’re looking to get started, the first book is Storm Front.

I generally don’t enjoy audiobooks, but the Dresden Files are the exception. They are narrated by the crazy talented James Marsters (of Buffy fame), and he does the entire series. The world of the Dresden Files is wide and wonderful and spawned a television series, graphic novels and role playing games.

If the off-noir detective idea doesn’t really grab your attention, then maybe give Butcher’s high fantasy a try. The Codex Alera is his first series, and it chronicles the coming-of-age of a young man in the realm of Alera. Every Aleran has some degree of command over elemental forces or spirits, called furies. It’s basically a mash-up of the Roman Empire and Pokemon that resulted from a writing workshop bet.

Jim Butcher’s latest book is The Aeronaut’s Windlass, the first of the Cinder Spires series. It’s high fantasy with a steampunk dystopia flare. Fighting airships! Talking cats! You can read my full review here.

With writing that is smart, adventurous and so funny, I hope you’ll give Jim Butcher a try.

As for me, I’ll be there on the 28th, trying to contain my fangirl love.